Students, staff and faculty gathered in the early morning of Tuesday in The Lair to watch the inauguration of our forty fourth president at the Black Student Union (BSU) and ASuop Barack Obama Inauguration Celebration. The time difference between Eastern time and our time forced people to set their alarms early to get to the Lair by 7:30 a.m.

Bolton commented his “grandmother is grateful her grandkids have a black president.” Professor Frederickson discussed his involvement with previous inaugurations and presidential careers. Professor Plunk says January 20, 2009 will be “different than any other day in our nation’s history.” He adds Obama will “speak on behalf of America’s civil religion.” Professor Smith says it is “fantastic [Obama had] all cabinet positions filled” before he took office.

After the panel finished their discussions the audio was brought up on the televisions and the crowds focus turned to the inauguration proceedings. Before Obama took office there was an invocation, Aretha Franklin sang ‘My Country Tis of Thee’, Joe Biden was sworn in as Vice President and a chamber quartet performance composed by John Williams.

President Barack Obama is the third president from Illinois; the other two are Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. Obama is the fifth youngest person elected for president.

Photo Courtesy of Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Published in : News, Volume 100: Issue 16